Improvement in preparing anhydrous grahamite



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- HENRY WURTZ, or

NEW YORK, N. Y.', ASIGNOR TQJAMES LORIMER- GRAHAM, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent N 99,7 40, dated February 8, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN PREPARING ANHYDROUS GRAHAMITE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

Description. The nature of my invention consists in heating Grahamite in a vessel, closed nearly, but not quite, tight,

up to the point oi'iucipient decomposition, in such mannor as to conjoin the action of heat upon the Grahamite with a low pressure, by which method I have discovered that the Grahamite undergoes a semi-fusion, acquiring a tarry consistence, and giving ot? the water which is'nalurally combined with it, together with some other volatile products, and affording as a residuum, when cold, a product which is better adapted for certain uses than raw Grahamitc.

Such prepared Grahamite is capable, from its'anhydrous condition, of forming more perfectly and intiniatcly such combinations with oils, animal, vegetable, and mineral, as I have described in previous patents, and other publications.

I prefer to effect the dehydration and semi-fusion of Grahamite in ordinary horizontal iron retorts, such as are commonly used in the manufacture of gas and coal-.

oil. From such a retort, the tarry, semi-fused Grahamite readily flows out, or may be drawn outbysuitable tools, when the/lid is removed, (particularly ifthe retort be set inclined, toward the trout, at a small angle,) and a fresh charge of the raw material is then readily introduced.

It is obvious, however, that any vessel may be used which admits of being covered, so. as to leave but a slight aperture, suiiicient only for the exit of the aqueous vapor and other volatile distillates, the tension of these volatile n'iatters in vapor serving to engender the small additional pressure (above. that of the atmosphere) required to render Grahamite fusible.

Claim.

Vb-at I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

flhe method, substantially above set forth, ot'heutjug Grahamite in .a vessel, partially closed, until its combined water has been expelled, and it has under-- 

